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Thats just Pure Bubbafication...You just took first place over the guy that welded a Kickstand on his mosin for a handle on another forum.

Words cannot describe what I really want to say about this as a Mosin collector...
even more so as a Gunsmith.
You should take up knitting...

In other words I should have paid $50 or so to a real gunsmith to do what I did myself for 33¢.... I seriously doubt there's a more slip-proof-when-wet bolt handle than my stubby screwdriver handle--especially a free one.

Plus, as Red River Rick said, "Function is the key." This Mosin-Nagant has one and only one function: deer hunting in the rain. All I have to do is waterproof the primers via fingernail polish around their edges, and I'm ready to step into the woods in the midst of a tempest. All I have to remember is to keep the muzzle down so the barrel doesn't fill up with rain water.

In other words I should have paid $50 or so to a real gunsmith to do what I did myself for 33¢.... I seriously doubt there's a more slip-proof-when-wet bolt handle than my stubby screwdriver handle--especially a free one.

Plus, as Red River Rick said, "Function is the key." This Mosin-Nagant has one and only one function: deer hunting in the rain. All I have to do is waterproof the primers via fingernail polish around their edges, and I'm ready to step into the woods in the midst of a tempest. All I have to remember is to keep the muzzle down so the barrel doesn't fill up with rain water.

And at our age Junior, being rugged up and with a decent slicker on is part of the deal.

Us Aussies that hunt in the rough stuff and in teh rain, put a bit of electricians (known as Lekkos in Australia) tape across the muzzle to keep rain and assorted junk out. Works a treat and disappears a millisecond before the boolit reaches the end of the Bbl.

Actually I have a very old screwdriver which is blacksmith made and has wooden scales I suppose you'd call them. That would make an interesting bolt handle. I was driving mt old 1967 Landrover around and it had the occasional rattle under the dash around the heater (heh! heater, that was a not very good description). When I pulled over I forgot about the rattle and never got around to checking it. I was driving along one day and heard a clang and no more rattle. When I stopped I had a look and saw this old screwdriver on the passenger's floor.

"I'll help you down the trail and proud to!" Rooster Cogburn.

"Slap some bacon on a biscuit and let's go! We're burnin' daylight! " - Will Anderson (John Wayne) "The Cowboys."

Great story Junior! I really like your take on the utility of this gun. I think you "nailed it," and I don't mean that literally!

The fact that you took the time to show us all what you were doing is what this place is all about. And the complete story on your website is very cool, well illustrated and well told.

The two things that matter in a construction/fabrication job are personal responsibility and attention to detail. The personal responsibility part, is where you stand up and show everybody what you did. The attention to detail part, is where you show yourself what you did. That is also the part where your descision on what is necessary to do what you are trying to accomplish comes into the picture.

I learned along time ago that when it comes right down to it, the only person you have to satisfy is yourself.

So many people don't get this. The best you can do is all you can do, and nobody can ask any more of a person in good conscience. IN the end if you're happy everybody else should be too!

You commented on my bolt handle on my M96 Swedish Mauser. It looks really nice,,, On that gun. It would look completely out of place on a Mosin Nagant. Your's looks right for the application!

The fact you did it all by yourself is just icing on the cake!

Randy

"It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,,It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do!"

Thanks, Randy Your statement "the only person you have to satisfy is yourself" is 100% correct. And I'm 100% satisfied. If a man looks at my screwdriver handle bolt knob with an eye toward how it fulfills its reason for existence, then he'd have to see it as drop-dead gorgeous.

Junior:
I also have a rifle or two that I've kept as "rain guns" and the concept is certainly sound. Your rain rifle looks like it will do the job - no complaints there. But lordy - it's so ugly it hurts my eyes.
Waterproof everything is a good plan and you're wise to think of primers too - but instead of trying to keep the muzzle down all day you might want to try taping it or even applying a kid's balloon. Just shoot through either one. Good luck in your hunting and we'd love to see some pictures when your rain rifle scores.
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Uncle R.

I'd recommend worrying less about primers. I made a mistake on two separate occasions and dropped a loaded 44-40 round in the soapy water and ceramic media (3mm balls) that I use for cleaning BP brass. Ran each time for about half a day. Both cartridges went BANG! the next time at the range. These were normally loaded cast boolit BP rounds with no effort to waterproof. I know the military will seal primers, I don't know why any more.

Wayne the Shrink

There is no 'right' that requires me to work for you or you to work for me!

My Mum has a canteen of cutlery which has handles that increase in thickness ending in an offset sort of smooth knob, sort of like a stretched raindrop. I have often looked at them thinking how they would make a nice bolt handle. If I end up inheiriting any of them, I will convert one.

They are a bear to use by left handed people,

"I'll help you down the trail and proud to!" Rooster Cogburn.

"Slap some bacon on a biscuit and let's go! We're burnin' daylight! " - Will Anderson (John Wayne) "The Cowboys."

I would prefer a smooth round knob over all others and the only reason I'd change would be to lengthen or bend it for more leverage/better ergonomics or to stop getting my fingers whacked. The smooth round bolt knobs would no doubt be the fastest to cycle and wouldn't catch on anything.

"I'll help you down the trail and proud to!" Rooster Cogburn.

"Slap some bacon on a biscuit and let's go! We're burnin' daylight! " - Will Anderson (John Wayne) "The Cowboys."

Re: UBER7MM: below is a photo from the rear and from article #1. I get your point about from-the-rear photos with new bolt open and closed, and I'll take some and add them to Article #2. I'll post here when that is done.

Re: Lead Fred: nope, nothing hum-drum about your rifle at all. I have an M38 like it, complete with shiny Russian shellac and a scope. It's original except for the removed front & rear sights which I could easily re-install.

Re: Mick: I like smooth bolt knobs, too. But then I got to noticing how slip-proof that screwdriver handle would be with wet gloves and wet knob in a downpour.

Re: Mick: I like smooth bolt knobs, too. But then I got to noticing how slip-proof that screwdriver handle would be with wet gloves and wet knob in a downpour.

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I never thought of that, but then again, I don't think gloves and shooting, my hands are so big, no way would I get my finger inside a trigger guard with a glove on. We used to wear kid gloves when I was in the tank corps (your hands got terribly knocked around without them), maybe they would work.

I do wear a pair of fingerless gloves with a fold out of the way mitten al la Swedish Army gloves, but I just grab them with my teeth and rip them off if I am about to take a shot.

"I'll help you down the trail and proud to!" Rooster Cogburn.

"Slap some bacon on a biscuit and let's go! We're burnin' daylight! " - Will Anderson (John Wayne) "The Cowboys."